Daddy, Don't Walk So Fast
by Narcissa B Malfoy
Summary: Songfic Ted Tonks has had enough of the way the Black family treats him, so he decides to leave, thinking it would be best for everyone. What he didn't count on was the love of his four year old daughter, Nymphadora.


I am eternally grateful to JKR for letting me to borrow her characters momentarily!

Also, hats off to Wayne Newton for this brilliant song, "Daddy, Don't Walk So Fast". Such a good song.

Enjoy!

**Daddy, Don't Walk So Fast**

_Andy,_

_I'm going to get right to the point. You need to come home. I miss you, and although she doesn't say anything, I know Bella does as well. We all do. You can still come back. You need to._

_I'm getting married in two months, and I want you to be there. You know that's not going to be possible in the current circumstances. Please! Leave Ted and come back home! You need to be at my wedding. I'm sure Mother and Father would forgive you if you left him. Remember, Toujours Pur._

_Cissa_

Mixed feelings were running thorough Andromeda's mind. Her younger sister was getting married. No doubt to Lucius Malfoy. Although Andromeda herself wasn't very fond of him, he _did_ treat Narcissa well. It was obvious that he really loved her, which, she supposed was all that mattered. Despite all that had happened, she was still happy for her. But did Narcissa really think that she would leave Ted? She loved him and no matter what anyone said, least of all her family, nothing would make Andromeda change her mind! Their life was perfect, and their daughter Nymphadora, although mischievous, was everything she had hoped for; she was nothing like her estranged family.

"What's that?" Ted asked as he came into the room, kissing the top of her head.

"A letter from my sister."

"Oh," he replied, his tone hardening. He didn't like hearing about her so called "family". Not after the way they treated her. Disowning her like they did, just because she didn't marry a pureblood. "Did you want some tea?" he asked.

"Please." She turned back to the letter. "Cissa's getting married," Andromeda announced a few minutes later.

"Is she?" he said, placing the cup down on the table, standing behind her.

"Yes, I'm assuming to Lucius Malfoy. Do you remember him? Ted?" She turned around to see Ted frowning down at the letter. "Ted? What's wrong?" He looked at her.

"Leave him?" Andromeda studied him for a moment, before turning back to the letter. "I'm sorry. She was just telling me she's getting married. Don't worry too much about it" she said apologetically.

"If you're so sorry, then why were you still reading the letter?" he asked coldly.

"Ted, she's still my sister. And she's getting married. I-"

"I wouldn't have thought you would still call them family after the way they treated you!" he spat. Andromeda frowned. "I just don't understand why you even give them the time of day! They don't deserve it! They only cause us problems!"

"Problems? What are you talking about? This is the first I've heard from them in five years!"

"The first _you've_ heard from them! I hear from them quite frequently, and I can assure you, they are not checking in to see how I'm getting on!"

"What?"

"Oh yeah! I've received tonnes of things from your family these past few years! Where would you like me to start? At the Howlers which scream 'Mudblood' or the envelopes which explode in my hand, only to release some fatal hex. Or maybe even the regular updates on the rise of someone called Lord Voldemort, and exactly how he is coming to kill me, my wife and my daughter! Take your pick Andromeda!"

"What? Why haven't you told me any of this? I would have done something!"

"What could you have done? Actually, you know what?" he said, not bothering to wait for an answer. "I'm sick of it! I'm done with you, and your family! Okay? I give up!" Ted stormed up the stairs, and into their room where he started throwing anything he could grab into his suitcase.

"Daddy?" Ted turned around to find his four year old daughter standing in the doorway. "What are you doing? Why is Mummy crying? Why are you packing?"

"It's nothing sweetie. Don't worry," he replied, trying not to look at her for fear of seeing her upset. He pulled out his wand and shrunk his suitcase. Placing it in his pocket, he turned and walked out of the room, and headed down the stairs.

"I can come too, right Daddy? Daddy!" she cried, tears beginning to stream down her face as she ran to keep up with him. As Ted reached the bottom landing, he walked past his wife and headed out the front door. Pausing in the hallway, Nymphadora turned to her mother, a confused, distraught look on her face. "Mummy, where's Daddy going? When is he coming back?" Andromeda turned away, not wanting her daughter to see her cry, and when she received no reply, Nymphadora ran out the door and after her father.

**The love between the two of us was dying  
And it got so bad I knew I had to leave  
But halfway down that highway when I turned around I saw  
My little daughter running after me  
Crying  
**

"Daddy! Daddy wait! I want to come too!" Ted tried to ignore his daughter. It was breaking his heart to do this, but it was for the greater good. If all those letters from Bellatrix were true, it was safer for both his wife and daughter if he left.

"Daddy!" Nymphadora screamed. "Slow down! I can't keep up with you! Wait!"

**Daddy, don't you walk so fast  
Daddy, don't you walk so fast  
Daddy, slow down some 'cause you're makin' me run  
Daddy, don't you walk so fast**

The last word his daughter screamed was unbearable. He stopped and turned around. He at least owed her an explanation. As she ran towards him, he knelt down and held out his arms. She leapt into them, hugging him as hard as she could.

"Daddy, don't go. Please don't go," she sobbed.

"I have to sweetie. I'm sorry."

"Where are you going? Can't I come?"

"You can't come, honey."

"When will you be back? Will you be home for my birthday?" At this, tears appeared in Ted's eyes. Her birthday. Nymphadora was going to be five. She'd be starting school soon. His mind started racing through all the things he was going to miss; the look on her face when she got accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, her coming of age, everything.

"I love you, Nymphadora." Her name echoed throughout his mind. Andromeda had wanted to somehow keep a connection with her side of the family. Even after all they had put her through, she still loved them and wanted to honour some of their traditions. A constellation name didn't seem appropriate for their daughter, so they chose Nymphadora. It meant 'gift of the nymphs'. He set her down on the ground and before walking away again, he wiped away her tears.

**Now, it broke my heart to tell my little daughter  
That her daddy had to run to catch a train  
She had no way of knowin' I was leavin' home for good  
I turned around and there she was again  
As she said to me  
**

"No Daddy! No! I don't want you to go!" she cried again, fresh tears making their way down her cheeks. She ran after him again. "You were going to teach me how to ride a broomstick! Daddy, _please_ come back!" Nymphadora started running as fast as she could, but, no matter how hard she tried, she could not catch up to her father.

**Daddy, don't you walk so fast**

**(My daughter cried)  
Daddy, don't you walk so fast  
Daddy, slow down some 'cause you're makin' me run  
Daddy, don't you walk so fast  
**

With tears of his own streaming down his face, Ted, as difficult as it was, tried to ignore his daughter's pleas. However, as he was nearing the end of the street, he heard a sound he knew all to well. Nymphadora was forever falling over or climbing a tree and scraping her elbow on the way down. But, despite the fact that she always got straight up as though nothing had happened, he never got used to her cry of pain. He stopped and turned around to face her and, instead of getting up again, she sat on the ground, holding her knee, crying harder than ever. He quickly forgot his stoicism and ran back to his daughter. Pulling out his wand, he healed her wound and, as picked her up, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He held her close and tried to calm her down and it was then that he decided. He couldn't leave his wife or daughter. He loved them both immensely, and nothing was going to change that. Not this Lord Voldemort, Bellatrix, or any member of the Black family. With Nymphadora in his arms, he headed back home…to his wife.

**If only for the sake of my sweet daughter  
I just had to turn back home right there and then  
And try to start a new life with the mother of my child  
I couldn't bear to hear those words again  
She cried and said  
**

**Daddy, don't you walk so fast  
(My daughter cried)  
Daddy, don't you walk so fast  
Daddy, slow down some 'cause you're makin' me run  
Daddy, don't you walk so fast**

Ted pushed open the front door and found Andromeda sitting in the lounge room.

"Sweetie, go and play in your room for a little while okay? I want to talk to your mother," he said, setting Nymphadora down. As she went upstairs, Ted walked over to his wife, and sat opposite her, taking her hands. He sighed and Andromeda looked at him with her tear-stained face.

"Andy, I'm sorry. I really am. I know I hurt you, I just…I was just trying to do the best for you and Nym…"

"And you thought the best thing to do was leave us?"

"I know that sounds strange, but in all her letters, Bellatrix said that-"

"Bellatrix said? I don't know what she's been saying to you, but since when do you listen to my sister?"

"I don't. Well…I didn't, but she was saying that if we stayed together, we'd regret it. Not just me, but you and Nym as well. I didn't want to risk it, so..." he trailed off. Now it was Andromeda's turn to sigh.

"Ted, don't listen to my family, least of all Bellatrix. She lost her sanity a _long_ time ago."

"But you were reading that letter from Cissa…"

"Cissa is a bit more sound than Bella is, and anyway, she's getting married. Ted, I'll always read any letters my family send me, but that doesn't mean I listen to them. It's like when Nym tells us she's going to be an Auror when she's older." Ted laughed.

"I think she'd be a great Auror!"

"So do I. That's what scares me. I don't want her fighting dark wizards! I'd have panic attacks every night, worrying about her." She paused. "Anyway, my point is, when it comes to you and Nym, I don't listen to _anything_ my family has to say. Honestly. I love you."

"I love you too." Ted pulled his wife towards him in a deep kiss. How could he ever have thought that leaving her was the best thing? As he held her close to him, a figure appeared next to them.

"Daddy, are you still leaving?" Nymphadora asked worriedly.

"No sweetie. Not anymore." A look of relief swept over their daughter's face. Ted laughed and Andromeda pulled her daughter onto her lap. Nymphadora looked at her father seriously.

"Daddy, please don't walk so fast again. You know I can't keep up with you."

**Daddy, don't you walk so fast  
(My daughter cried)  
Daddy, don't you walk so fast**

**Daddy, slow down some 'cause you're makin' me run  
Oh, daddy, don't you walk so fast**


End file.
